Obscure

Hogwarts

We didn't arrive at Hogwarts in your stereotypical fashion, admittedly I was a little disappointed when we were told the Hogwarts Express wasn't going to be our mode of transportation. However this notion disappeared as soon as quick as it had arrived when a carriage pulled up, pulled by nothing as they usually were at Hogwarts. I, much to my expectation, spent the whole time trying to explain my behaviour in the last few years whilst trying to calm Credence down - the poor soul was fretting about the carriage. Of course he wasn't much comforted when I told him no one really knows why it happens it just sort of does but nonetheless we pressed on wards. 

I swear he nearly fainted when he saw the castle, gawping and gaping at everything. I couldn't help but laugh at his childish demeanour. Subsequently I received a quick and playful punch to the stomach which could have winded a small fairy. Credence and I were having the time of our lives as we strolled around the castle, tailing Newt and Dumbledore who were talking about adult stuff. 

"Hey Tori, this one looks like you!" Credence cried out, pointing at a particularly ugly gargoyle that was sat guarding an entrance to one of the corridors.

"How dare you, I'll have you know I won beauty pageants in my day." the gargoyle spat at Credence, causing both of us to shriek loudly and run for Newt. Both the adults merely sighed and continued on.

"How do you remember your way around this labyrinth?" the black haired boy exclaimed in awe as he gazed at the castle as the stairways rumbled into life.

"I didn't." I sighed, nestling myself into Newt's side, anxiety ebbing and flowing through my veins with each little movement as memories washed through my mind. We were led now by Professor Dumbledore through a path of the castle which I didn't particularly pay much mind to, each hallway was exactly as I remembered. It was almost as if I had never left the place.

"Now if you don't mind me borrowing Credence for an hour or so." Dumbledore announced to our small group, all of whom nodded - accepting his proposition. "Ah! Also, with regards to your accommodation during your stay - Newt, I believe you know a suitable enough place considering the amount of times I caught you there." Newt laughed and nodded. "Credence and I will rejoin you in the Great Hall for dinner where you will be the special guests."

 I gave Credence a warm smile, "Don't talk to any scary gargoyles kiddo." I told him, affection stringing through my voice as we were led our separate ways. 

Many winding corridors, tricky stairways, sassy paintings and disappearing steps later I was pulled to a seemingly empty corridor by Newt. He began to pace, intense concentration dancing across his features. Startlingly, he looked me dead in the eyes before tugging me through an old worn doorway which I didn't see previously.

"Oh wow." I exclaimed as I examined what looked like a high end apartment much like the ones I had seen in my time in New York. "How did I not know this was here?" I yelled as I ran into one of the small bedrooms. It was sweet - a double bed, floating candles, a small vanity table and a wardrobe just fit into the room. An odd assortment of sofas lined the living room I had just run through. A crackling and fizzing fire illuminated the room in front of which there was an already set game of wizards chess.  I quickly ran to the other rooms, a bespoke bathroom much like the prefects was behind one, and a single bedroom much like the double behind the second. I bounded back to Newt like a hyperactive puppy, the man was smiling eagerly at me. "What?"

"Do you like it?" he grinned.

"I love it!"

"Good because I wanted to make it comfortable for you and Credence." he finished.

"What do you mean?" Did you.... did you make this?" he giggled and ruffled my short, choppy, chocolate locks.

"In a way I suppose I did, this is the room of requirement - I just thought about what I wanted and here we are." I had heard of this fabled room but never found it - despite my multiple efforts. I slowly thought out the layout of the flat, if you will.

"Wait a second." I muttered, my sentence laced with suspicion. Newt hummed as he entered the double bedroom, putting his case in the wardrobe. "Where am I sleeping?"

"Oh." Newt mumbled, shocked at this revelation. He gave me a stoic glance before continuing, "I'll sleep on the couch, you sleep in here and Credence takes the single room." 

"You are not sleeping on a sofa! I will." I raised my voice slightly, making him flinch and immediately guilt consumed me. He'd catch a cold or something on that sofa so I'd have to rough it for a while - no big deal. As I got up to leave the room I felt a firm but unobtrusive pull on my wrist which not only bought me to a halt but pulled me back to face Newt. 

"No one had to sleep on the couch." he muttered as he thought, "You and Credence could share?" I shook my head fervently.

"I can't - I get um... nightmares. I thrash around quite a bit, it would scare him too much." I wrung my hands as I said this, blushing like a school girl.

"Okay, how about Credence and I?" 

"No!" I clasped my hands to my mouth, realising the very real implications of what I had just said. Newt just stood there, staring at me, taken aback at my sudden outburst. At the corners of my vision I could see my hair had gone a bubblegum pink and my skin was now deathly pale - this must be my embarrassed form. 

The auburn haired man merely chuckled after the prolonged silence, " And why is that Tori?" my blush deepened as I buried my face in my hands. Newt extended his palm to gently drag me out of my makeshift shelter. "Tori?" he repeated, the pressure mounting further on me, weighing down on my soul as heavy as ten tonne bricks. 

"Just 'cuz." I mumbled, shuffling my feet lightly. I heard some soft but determined clicks expel themselves from Newt's pocket. Pickett, the cheeky little git, was sat there: arms folded, head tilted, tongue out and I'm sure if he had eyebrows they would've been raised mightily high. Newt laughed again at the sassy creature before peering over at me.

"Alright then, I'll warn you though, I'm a snorer." and I couldn't help but burst into hysterical giggles.